Garment-stretcher.



No. 692,I0|. Patented Jan. 28, I902. H. ANDERSON.

GARMENT STRETCHEB.

(Application filedroct. 7, 1901.)

(No Model.)

morauma, WASNXNGTON, u c.

In: uomus PETERS co.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANNAH ANDERSON, OE; ELGIN, ILLINOIS oARM EMT-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IEatent No. 692,101, dated January 28, 1902.

Application filed October 7, 1901. Serial No. 77,871. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANNAH ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at El gin in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in garment-stretchers, clothes-hangers, and the like.

Its object is to provide an article of the character described which will stretch a shrunken garment or prevent a wet garment from shrinking during the process of drying.

Afurther object is to construct the device so that it can be readily inserted within a garment and also removed therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention,Figure 1 is an elevation of my garmentstretcher. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a View showing the device adapted to be inserted within a garment.

In carrying out my invention I construct my device of, preferably, a single piece of wire or any other suitable material in sub.- stantially the form shown, 1 representing the body or lower portion, 2 2 the arms or armsupports, and 3 the neck. Coil-springs 1 1 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described, are formed at the lower corners of the body and constitute a part thereof. Between the neck 3 and the body 1 are arms or arm-supports 2 2, formed by rebending the wire. The wire constituting one side of the neck is bent at a right angle and has formed on the end thereof an eye 5, adapted to be engaged bya hook 6 on the opposite free end of the wire.

In operation when it is desired to insert my device within a garment or remove the same therefrom the hook 6 is withdrawn from the eye 5, and the sides of the neck and body and the arms spring inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. The device being thus inserted Within a garment or removed therefrom will assume its normal position by therecoil of the springs 1'" 1. Said springs also serve to hold the hook in position after it is inserted within the eye. Said hook serves to limit the expansion of the device to the size of the garment which it is designed to stretch or prevent from shrinking while damp or wet. The device may be suspended from any desired part, as the neck or the arms or one of the springcoils.

It is obvious that the portion ofthe frame between the coils may be cut away and the free ends inserted within a block or base with out sacrificing the principles of my invention. Said block may be of sufficient size and weight to hold the device in an upright position.

Without limiting myself to the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim 1. A device or frame for stretching garments, comprising sides having spring conneotion at one end and extended arm portions at their opposite free ends, said sides with their extended arm portions adapted to be sprung inwardly for the purpose of inserting Ehe device in a garment, substantially as set orth.

2. A device or frame for stretching garments, comprising sides joined together at one end and having at their opposite ends extended arm portions and upstanding continuations of said arm portions detachably connected together, forming a neck, substantially as set forth.

3. A device or frame for stretching garments, formed of a continuous piece of wire, comprising sides, coiled springs formed integral with said sides and ends of said frame, extended arm portions formed on the free ends of said sides, and a neck formed by upstanding continuations of said arms, said sides with their arm and neck portions adapted to be sprung inwardly from said coiled springs for the purpose of inserting the de= vice within a garment, substantially as set forth.

4. An article of the character described formed of a continuous piece of wire, com prising a body, arms and neck, coiled springs arranged at the lower corners of said body portion and forming a part thereof, and a hook and eye formed on opposite free ends of the wires, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HANNAH ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

WM. RUNDQUIST, W. H. KIRKLAND. 

